


Act of Mercy

by SilverKitsune



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Former Friends With Benefits, La Danse Macabre spoilers, La danse macabre, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28924881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune/pseuds/SilverKitsune
Summary: One last mission. One last offensive before they can begin building the world for the better.One last meeting, before they go their separate ways in the new world that awaits them.(A Leiden-centric expansion on the second ending of La Danse Macabre)
Relationships: Izumi Mitsuki & Rokuya Nagi, Leiden & Misericorde
Kudos: 9





	Act of Mercy

**Author's Note:**

> One last spoiler warning - this is meant to take place years after the second ending (as in, the one you see when you pick the second choice in "episode" 39). Also it won't make sense if you haven't read that ending yet, especially with the changes in which sides the characters belong to lol.

Years of fighting had led to this moment – one last push into Ark. One last push to dismantle the system that would weaponize a single life in the name of maintaining “peace and prosperity”, a system that oppressed those who were simply unfortunate in something they had no control over.

One last push to a place of … of _convenience_.

He ran through the empty hallways – Cura and Reue had planned the main assault's position to draw as many troops away from his path as possible – and came to a stop in front of a familiar tapestry depicting a loyal priest praying to a Tenshi bathed in holy light.

* * *

“Leiden-kun,” Reue had said during the pre-mission briefing. “You're our strongest fighter, so you'll be our spearhead for this, our final mission. Your mission will be very straightforward: Find Misericorde, and put an end to everything.”

* * *

How Reue had figured out there was something _more_ between him, a mere soldier within Unity Order, and the second in command of the Church of Nerve was something that was beyond him. Not that it really mattered now.

He ducked under the tapestry and broke down the door.

* * *

The first time he had been here, he had been a fresh graduate and _he_ had been a rising star within the Church of Nerve. Eternea might have been the one hand picked by his predecessor, but how _he_ got there had been purely by sheer force of will to and dedication to the mission.

And that had been the thing that had gotten them both talking to each other, hadn't it? A dedication to the mission of maintaining the peace and protecting the prosperity of Ark from those who would rob it of its resources for the people that lived there. There wasn't enough for everyone, and that was just how it was. You were either lucky enough to have been born on Ark and lived a life of comfort, or you were just unlucky and left to eke out a living on the Surface. He had never had a reason to question it – that had been ingrained into him from the moment he was old enough to comprehend spoken language.

One thing had led to another, and before long they were spending days off together, a mismatched pair of friends. But even those who were dedicated to a life mission needed an outlet, had … _needs_ to meet. And what better way than with someone who shared your ideals and wouldn't question it?

* * *

The years since their last meeting hadn't been kind to either of them – Leiden could see the weight of years as the sole leader of Ark and the Church of Nerve in the lines on Misericorde's once handsome face. Long gone was that spark of determination that put faith above all else, faith in both the Tenshi system and Ark's technology to keep it and its prosperity away from those who needed it most.

“Your captain is a cruel man, sending you here like this,” Misericorde said, removing his ear piece. Leiden could hear a few snatches of shouts from the Unity Order soldiers fighting the main Rebellion force.

“Or maybe he knows me better than you think; I made it here, didn't I?” Leiden replied. Misericorde clicked off his radio, and silence settled into the room. “It's still not too late you know. Joining us in rebuilding this world for the better for everyone living on it, not just keeping status quo for the people of Ark.”

Misericorde sneered. “Is that what they've been feeding you down there, Leiden? Lies? You know there isn't enough here on Ark to feed those … those _wretches_ on the Surface.”

“I once thought that way about them too, but then my eyes were opened. There's things we never tried, things we never thought were possible. There's people down there who-”

“Silence!” Misericorde shouted, pulling out a gun and pointing it at Leiden. “If you will not help me maintain Order, then you are nothing more than-”

In a single practiced motion, Leiden pulled out a dagger and lunged forward, and he felt, more than saw, the blade hit home.

Warm blood splashed over his hands and splattered onto the floor.

“Lei … den?”

The gun fell to the ground with a clatter, and Leiden braced himself as he felt Misericorde's full weight fall slack upon his shoulders. Cradling Misericorde, he knelt to the ground, laying Misericorde down on the cold stone floor as he ignored the way the warm blood continued to bubble over his fingers as he felt one of Misericorde's hands wrap weakly around his.

“The … people ...” Misericorde said, as he struggled to grab Leiden's uniform collar.

“I know, it was hard, wasn't it, running this place by yourself all these years,” Leiden replied, letting go of the dagger to take Misericorde's hand.

“... they must ...” Misericorde coughed, and turned his head to spit out a mouthful of blood.

“I won't thank you for your hard work, but I will say you did your best. That's what I've decided on with this head of mine I've decided to use for myself. I'll see to it the people of Ark will still be taken care of. Reue-san will help too,” Leiden soothingly continued. “So you can rest.”

The silence hung heavily between them, save for the raspy breaths of a dying man.

“Ah … was … was this what you felt that day, Eternea-sama?” Misericorde whispered as his hand fell slack in Leiden's.

A final rattle, and silence echoed in the room.

The door opened at that moment, and Leiden heard the sounds of footsteps rush in behind him.

“It's all clear Reue-san! Leiden-san's here too. It-”

“Ah,” Reue sing-songed as he entered. “I see you've succeeded in your mission Leiden-kun.”

Pausing to close Misericorde's eyes, he rose. “Yeah. Mission accomplished, Reue-san. I'll go stand guard outside while you do your part.”

* * *

Leiden had once wondered if there could have been something more between them, back when using his head led him down towards too many troublesome thoughts, back when he'd been nothing more than a bright eyed graduate of the Academy, back when his life's dream had been to protect Ark like the shining jewel of prosperity in the sky that it was.

Back before he saw a truth he couldn't ignore.

Closure, he's learned over the years, is something that's rarely afforded to people like him – he's not sure how he feels about owing Reue like this, but he supposes if Reue could find the strength to move on, then maybe it's high time he did too. Nothing like the end of the old world and the dawn of a new one for a fresh start.


End file.
